Toggle switch



Nav. 1,9, 1929. Q. H. FRANK 1,736,152

` TOGGLE SWITCH l Filed Aug. 6, 1927 ATTORNEY Patented Nm). 19,1929

UNITED STATE-s PATENT oFFic-E OTTO E'.l FRANK, OI BROOKLYN, NEW YORK TOGGLE SWITCH Application meu una e, 1997. serial 1ro. 211,025.

My invention further contemplates various improvements indierent parts of the toggle switch, for the purpose of improving the eiiiciency of the switch.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specication,

and in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures.

Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved switch, here shown as open, and with the gear case partly broken away. v

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the switch.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure.4 is a section on the line 4-4 oi Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a detail view, being a section through one of the mountings for the switch blades.

A Vbase plate 6, which su ports the various working parts, is made o y insulating material.

Disposed centrall of the base plate 6, and extending upward y therefrom is a gear case 7.

Located adjacent the four corners o the base plate are contact forks 8, 9, 10 and 11, carried respectively by foot plates 12, 13, 14 and 15.

Below each 'of these foot plates is an an'- chor plate 16', shown more particularly in Figure 3. The anchor plate is imbedded in the bottom of the base plate, and connected with the foot plate by means of screws 17, 13, as indicated in Figure 3.

A number of tongues 19, 20, 21, 22 project outwardly from the edges of the foot plate,

. by means of screws 24.

each tongue being carried by an anchor plate. These tongues are used for Ymaking connections with conductors, such as wires, cables or conducting cords, in the manner well known in this art, as for Ainstance by soldering, brazing, clinching or the like.

he gear case i, which is made of sheet metal, is provided with feet '23 integral toit, these feet being held upon the base plate to Two switch blades 25,26, carried respectively by two heads 27, 28, are used for the y purpose of engaging and disengaging the contact forks 8, 9, 10, 11.

'lhe two-heads 27, 28, `are alike, only the head 28 will be described in detail, its construction being shown in Fi ure 5.

The head 28 carries a cap p ate 29, for holding the switch blade 26 in position. A pairof screws 30, 30 extend through the ca plate 29 and switch blade 26, into the bo y portion of the head 28. A strip 31 of insulatingmaterial is 'interposed between the switch blade 26 and the ad] acent portion of the head 28. Abntting this strip 31 are a air of screws 34, Vwhich extend through the ody portion of the head 28 and engage a supportin block 33, which is imbedded within the hea 28.

v The supporting block 33 is made ot metal. There are two ot these supporting blocks, in the respective heads 27, 28. Extending .trom the supporting blocks are-two necks 35, 36, shown morerparticularly in Figures 1 and 2. rilhese two necks being alike the construction of each may be understood from Figure 5, showing the neck 36.

The neck 36 is provided with a hole 37, and 'extendin into thishole is a shaft 38, carr ing a gear w eel 39, as may be understood rom Figures 4 and 5. ik in 40 holds the shaft 38 and the neck 36 hrm y together. By this arrangement the switch blade 26 can be actuated by rockin movements of the gear wheel 39.

Journa ed within the gear case 7 and therein located opposite the crank arm 41 is another crank arm 42, mounted upon a shaft 43 which extends through the wall of the gear case and carries the neck 35. A cross pin 44 eittends from this crank arm 42 to the crank arm 41, so that the two crank arms 41 and 42 and the cross pin 44 together constitute practically a single crank. This crank, rocked back and forth as hereinafter described, communicates a rocking motion to the two heads 27 and 28, and thus tothe two switch blades 25 and 26. A

Journaled within Athe gear 7 and located near tlie bottom thereof is a Yshaft 46, shown more particularly in. Figure 4. Mounted firmly upon this shaft is a gear wheel 45, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth. of the gear wheel 39 above mentioned. The shaft 46 also carries a crank arm 47, similar to the crank arm 39 above described. p v

Another crank arm 48,l journaled within the bottom of the gear case 7, is located opposite the crank arm 47. A cross pin 49 extends from the crank arm 47 to the crankarm 48, these arts together constituting essential- 1y a sing e crank.

A tensile spring 50 extends from the cross pin 49 to the cross pin 44, so that the tension of this spring tends to draw these two cross pins toward eachother and thus under certain conditions to actuate the cranks, as may be understood from Figures 3 and 4.

The gear case 7 is provided with a number of stop lugs 51, 52, 53 and 55, located to" serve as limiting stops fbr the crank arms 41 and 47. A a A toothed rack 55, having nearly but not tlLuite the form of a gear wheel as indicated in igure 4, is mounted upon a shaft 56, so that the teeth of the rack 55 mesh with the teeth of the ear wheel 39.

T e rack 55 is provided with-an arm 57,

carrying a handle 58 of insulating material.

The operator grasps the handle 58, and by swinging it in one of two directions of travel, closes or opens the switch.

In the drawing, Figure 2, the main movable parts of the switch are shown by full lines 1n the positions they occup when the switch is open, and shown by bro n lines in the position they occupy when the switch is closed.

Each time the handle 58 is shifted to the right or in a clockwise direction accordin to Figures .2 and 4, the switch blade 26 is roc ed in a counter-clockwise direction according to these figures, and brought into engagement with the contact forks 1() and 11. At the same moment the lswitch blade 25 is rocked in the same direction of travel as the switch blade 26, and brought into engagement with the con- 3 and 4, it will' be noted that, under tension of the spring 50, the crank arms 41 and 47 are lodged against the stop lugs 51 and 52, and are held tightly thereagainst. If, now, the handle 58 is slowl rocked in a clockwise direction according to i ure 4 the rack 55, by turning in a clockwisel irection, will cause the gear wheel 39 to turn clockwise and the gear 45 to turn counter-clockwise. This stretches the spring 50, and increases the tension thereof, until the crank arms become vertical, at which moment the spring 5() is at a maximum tension, and each of the crank arms is on center. The movement of the handle 58 being continued so as to move the cranks off center, the tension of the spring 50 be comes the initial ,power now closing the switchwth a snap,.the crank arms 42 and 48 being thus lod ed against the stop lugs 54 and 53. Since bot `o f these crank arms are in motion when- ;ever the'switch is being either opened or closed, and since the distances traveled by the two arms are virtually added, the throw of the switch may have considerable length in proportion to the relative sizes of the various parts, and the travel of the movable parts can be rendered very quick, positive,and reliable.

The action of my device may be readily understood from the foregoing description.

The parts being assembled and arranged as indicated in the drawing and as above described, the operator simply grasps the handle and swings it in the proper direction to open or close the switch.

,Because of the quick and positive movements of the various movable parts, and because the throw of the switch blades may be extended a considerable distance in proportion to the relative sizes of the various parts,

objectionable sparking is greatly reduced, or prevented altogether.

Except as above otherwise indicated, -the action of the switch is substantially like that of other snap switches heretofore known in this art.

I do not limit myself to the precise, construction shown, as variations mav be made therein without departing from my invention, the scope of which is commensurate with my claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new `and desired t0 secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In an electric switchy the combination of a plurality of contact forks, a plurality of switch blades movable relatively to said com tact forks for engaging and disengaging the same, a pair of cranks geare'd to rock simultaneously in opposite directions, a spring extending from one of said cranks to the other, said spring being under tension for the purpose of actuating said cranks, connections from said cranks to said switch blades for the purpose of actuating said switch blades, gearing separate from said cranks but connected therewith, for turning NSigned at New York city, in the county of said cranks until said spring passes the dea ew York and State of New York, this 5th centers of said cranks, and means for limiting day of August, 1927.

the travel of said cranks. 4

2. The combination, with a plurality of stationary contact forks and a plurality of switch blades movable relatively to said contact forks forthe purpose of engaging and.v

disengaging the same, .of a pair of cranks geared to rock in opposite dlrections when actuated, a tensile spring extending from one of said cranks to the other, connections from said cranks to said switch blades for the purpose of actuating said switch blades, gearing separate from said cranks but connected therewith, said gearing including a hand lever for actuating said gearing.

3. The combination, with stationary contact forks and switch blades movable relatively to said stationary contact forks for the purpose of engaging and disengaging the same, of a pair of cranks geared to rock in opposite directions when actuated, a tensile spring extending from one of said cranks to the other, connection from said cranks to said switch blades for the, purpose of enabling movements of said cranks to actuate said switch blades, and gearing separate from said cranks and connected therewith, vfor actuating said cranks.

4. In an electric switch the combination of a plurality of stationary contact members, a'plurality of switch blades movable relatively to said stationary contact members for the purpose of engaging and disengaging the same, a pair of cranks geared to rock simultaneously in opposite directions when actuated, spring mechanism connected with said cranks -or forcing said cranks toward each other after said cranks leave their dead centers, and gearing separate from said cranks but connected with said cranks for actuating the same, said gearing includin a handle controllable by the operator or shifting said cranks passed their dead centers 5. In an electric switch the combination of a plurality of stationary` contact members, a

plurality of switch blades movable relatively to said stationary contact members for the purpose of engaging and disengaging the same, a pair of cranks geared to rock simultaneously in opposite directions when actuated, spring mechanism connected with said cranks for forcing said cranks toward each other, said cranks and said spring being so v 'in tu 

